Data Protection

Protecting information

SCRA holds the personal data of children, young people and families involved in the Children’s Hearings System, as well as the personal data of witnesses, associates, victims of youth offending, panel members and other professionals working within the Children’s Hearings System.

Details of the types of personal data processed by SCRA can be found in SCRA’s Record of Processing Activities. 

SCRA is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals and our duty of confidentiality to them. This means that we must comply with laws protecting individual’s rights and privacy.

SCRA is a Data Controller, as defined in data protection law. SCRA’s head office is at Ochil House, Springkerse Business Park, Stirling, FK7 7XE and it has various office locations throughout Scotland. Please see our website for further details.

Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted at Inforequest@scra.gov.uk.

SCRA is committed to ensuring all personal information is processed in accordance with data protection law. Please see our Data Protection Policy for further information.

If you would like to find out more information about what we do with personal information, please see our privacy notices.

What information does SCRA hold on individuals?

SCRA processes and holds information about children and young people who are referred to the Children’s Reporter in line with our legal responsibilities. This information comprises of reports from agencies such as social work, schools, police, etc; records of Reporters’ decision making; and papers provided for Children’s Hearings. This information will usually cover the child/young person referred, their parents, and other individuals associated with their case.

If a child or young person has been referred to the Reporter for committing an offence and there is a named victim of the offence, SCRA retains information on the victim in order to be able to provide them information about the case under our Victim Information Service.

You have a right to know what information we hold on you and SCRA will write to inform you if a referral is received about your child if you are a relevant person in respect of that child, and we will always inform a child or young person if they are referred to the Reporter.

You are entitled to request a copy of the information we hold on you – this must be done in writing and the section on Subject Access Requests will tell you more about how to do this.

What we do with children and young people’s information

SCRA uses information on children and young people referred to assist Reporters and Children’s Hearings in making decisions on what measures are needed to protect the child or young person, or address their behaviour. We may also share information with other agencies working with a child or young person. SCRA also uses information to gather evidence to improve our services and for training of our staff.

Data Sharing Guidance

SCRA may disclose information it holds to other child protection and justice agencies as and when required, however this will be done only in line with our statutory responsibilities, if required by law and if there is a reasonable and justifiable purpose for sharing the information such as to protect and defend the rights of an individual.

The Data we hold is protected from public access and can only be viewed by authorised personnel. All employees and contractors are prohibited from using personal information for any purpose out with SCRA’s remit and legal responsibilities.